"It would be less dangerous to break into Gringotts than to renege on a promise to a goblin." -- Bill Weasley

Griphook agrees to help break into Gringotts in exchange for the sword of Gryffindor, which he considers to be rightfully goblin property. Harry and Ron agree in bad faith, planning to retain it until the Horcrux hunt is over. Lupin arrives to announce the birth of his son Teddy and to ask Harry to be godfather. Bill takes Harry aside during the celebrations to warn him against breaking faith with goblins.

Calendar and Dates

Continues after the previous chapter, so it begins during Hogwarts' Easter holidays of March 1998.

Interesting facts and notes

"To a goblin, the rightful and true master of any object is the maker, not the purchaser. All goblin-made objects are, in goblin eyes, rightfully theirs."

Goblin-made armour, swords and tiaras have been mentioned throughout the novels, but this is the first chance that readers understand the goblins' perspective on the matter.

Exceptional character moments

Bill's conversation with Harry about goblins.

Memorable lines

"If you have struck any kind of bargain with Griphook, and most particularly if that bargain involves treasure, you must be exceptionally careful. Goblin notions of ownership, payment, and repayment are not the same as human ones."

"...there is a belief among some goblins, and those at Gringotts are perhaps most prone to it, that wizards cannot be trusted in matters of gold and treasure, that they have no respect for goblin ownership."

"To a goblin, the rightful and true master of any object is the maker, not the purchaser. All goblin-made objects are, in goblin eyes, rightfully theirs."
"But if it was bought -"
"- then they would consider it rented by the one who had paid the money. They have, however, great difficulty with the idea of goblin-made objects passing from wizard to wizard."

"They consider our habit of keeping goblin-made objects, passing them from wizard to wizard without further payment, little more than theft."